After the Storm
by cmcj
Summary: It's amazing what sort of ideas can come to you when you can't sleep at night. A oneshot, and this time, as the title suggests, an additional scene to Reign Storm. DxS.


**WOO-HOO! Yes, I'm back, this time with another one-shot, especially meant for and dedicated to all of you who enjoyed "Sparks" and told me to write more soon :D**

**This is supposed to be an additional scene to Reign Storm, after Danny wakes up in his room sometime after the battle, and everyone is in there with him, but before the last two or three segments with the town cleanup and Danny apologizing to Dash. Ever wondered what happened in between? Well I sure did. And you'll just have to read, I'm not gonna spoil it for you!**

**Well like the summary says, this idea came on another sleepless night, where, this time, mosquitoes were _also_ mercilessly attacking me! Grrr. Heh. Well maybe sleepless nights have their benefits after all...**

**BUT NO, THAT DOESN'T MEAN I HOPE FOR MORE OF THEM! You hear THAT, you little PESKY MOSQUITOES? Yeah, I'm stocking up ammo here – lots and LOTS of insect repellent and citronella oil, so... BEWARE!**

**Whoops. Heheh (gives sheepish grin) sorry, guess I was yelling in front of the comp. **

**Lastly, I disclaim... Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon own it all... except the storyline, which is mine. And if anything related to the episode or any others comes out kinda wrong... do forgive me - from Season 2, I have only seen Memory Blank and Reign Storm... and I've only watched them once. Long story why, but I live in Asia - so that should give you a pretty much clearer picture. **

**Okay, on with the show!**

* * *

In a matter of a couple of minutes everyone else but Sam and Tucker had left Danny's room, but before they could do anything, Tucker's mother had called, wanting him to be home in fifteen minutes. 

"Well, guess I'd better get going," he told his two best friends as he kept away his cell phone and picked up his bag. "See you at school. And great job, Danny." He grinned. "You did good."

Danny managed a tired grin back from the mattress. "Thanks."

Then Tucker had gone too, and it was only the two of them – Danny on the bed, resting, and Sam seated in a chair pulled up next to it, her arms folded and resting on the mattress, next to him.

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "How're you feeling, really?"

Danny shut his eyes and sighed. "Tired, drained... not to mention stressed by that maniac who's still in my house acting like he has a right to be here or something, especially after Mom said she forgave him. Did you see the big smirk on his face?"

"Yeah," Sam replied. But in truth she very nearly hadn't – she'd been too busy watching her best friend and making sure he was really okay... and not doing anything to overexert his already exhausted self, which included forcing himself to sit up. (A/N: Yes, remember that sweet scene everybody?)

She smiled again. "But come on. You just won a battle – nearly single-handedly. What have you got to say for _that_?"

He chuckled softly. "Well, if you count relieved that I made it through alive, then yeah."

"It's not funny Danny." She frowned at him. For a second, blue eyes locked with violet, and each knew the other was thinking the same thought.

He'd nearly lost his life out there.

"Yeah, well..." Danny cleared his throat. "It's not like I died or anything. See?" He lifted a hand off the mattress and flexed his fingers, as if to show he were still living and could still move, grinning as he did so. "I'm still here. I _told_ you guys I'd be back, didn't I? You had nothing to worry about."

Sam had to hand it to him. For one who'd just been through the biggest battle and possibly the riskiest moment of his life, he seemed pretty relaxed about the whole thing.

But she said nothing, simply returning the grin.

Danny studied her from his pillow as she did so. He knew her well enough to know she was really relieved. He'd seen how scared she and Tucker had been for him, up there on the rooftop...

Reminded then of something, he smiled at her. "But you were going to tell me something…? Back there on the rooftop?"

Instantly Sam felt the color rush to her cheeks, her heart simultaneously beginning to thunder. "Oh. That." She found herself trying to laugh to show that she wasn't bothered by the question, only to have it come out all nervous-like.

He raised an eyebrow at her, despite himself.

"I... uh... it's..." She stammered, cheeks already blossoming a deep hue of reddish pink. "It's nothing, really. Nothing... important." Her eyes looked away.

That was a lie, of course, considering what she'd nearly said...

She'd nearly told, him, nearly confessed that she loved him – more than just a best friend – right then and there.

But then the Ghost King had appeared, interrupting. And there'd been one final gaze between them, before he left...

Earlier on she wouldn't have told him because she wasn't so sure herself, but in that moment on the rooftop, she'd realized just how much she _did_ love him... everything, from how he was always there for her, to his lame jokes and ever goofy grin.

She'd realized how much it'd hurt to lose him, how she _couldn't_ lose him... how he'd become so much more than just a best friend to her.

And afraid then that he'd die...

But now that he'd made it through, she didn't want to say anything... yet. There'd be another time. There'd be lots of times.

She wasn't exactly sure what _his_ reaction would be, anyway. She wasn't exactly sure if she was ready herself, to ask him – to take that one step further with him, even though she now knew that it was doubtless that she loved him. It could wait.

For now, she just wanted to treasure and enjoy the close bond of friendship and trust that existed between them, like she always had. And she knew he did, too.

And besides, she could see that he was trying – hard, to hide his weariness from her. The poor guy was already tired out, and he already had enough to worry and think about. She had no wish to make things worse for her best friend.

Love was an issue she didn't want to tamper with. Before Danny, of course, she'd never really felt such feelings for anyone, but she knew well enough that this... was more than just a mere crush. And if they were meant to be, then Sam knew that things would definitely work themselves out in the end.

"Sam...?" Danny's hand gave hers a feeble squeeze, snapping her out of her trance. Blue eyes searched hers as they flicked back to him, as though telling her he knew that there was more she wanted to say.

"It's nothing, Danny, really." She insisted, blushing slightly again. "I just... I'm..."

Well, she could always tell him part of it.

Smiling, Sam leaned forward and gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek, light, soft and gentle. "I'm just glad you're safe, that's all." She said softly. And she was.

At that, Danny had to smile back, even though a part of him somehow knew that wasn't exactly it, that that wasn't all she wanted to tell him. But he was too tired to persist, or to argue. If it were important, she'd tell him some other time.

Seeing the look on his face, Sam stood up, deciding that she'd better go. Smiling again, she took hold of the covers and gently laid them over him.

"Get some rest, hero boy. You need it."

He half-closed his eyes in response, still managing to pull off a lopsided grin. "Okay."

She gave him a final parting smile, then left the room quietly, flicking off the lights as she did so.

And Danny's blue eyes watched her through half-shut eyelids in the darkness, lingering at the doorway where he'd last seen her before she'd gone out of sight, one hand lightly caressing the spot where he'd been kissed, until, a few seconds later, he finally drifted back off to sleep, a look of pure content on his face.

* * *

**Aww... I personally like the ending... but yes, I know, it's not as great as the Fanning the Flames Alternate ending which I did earlier, what with all the thoughts of Sam being recorded and all...**

**And I know they didn't end up together, but I wanted to keep it in character, and make it look like it BELONGED to the episode. Besides, if I did finish the DS, there wouldn't be the final scene where Valerie confronts them and Sam almost says she likes him by accident!**

**But I hope you guys liked it anyway. Let me know what you think!**

**-FBG**


End file.
